The Tale of Your Ordinary Girl

Chapter 24- Luciana

"Is Luce here?" Ashton's voice sounds from the front of the store. I curled up on one of the couches in the back.

"She's in the back." Melody answer. I hear him thank her and his footsteps grow louder. I stand up and hug him.

"I'm ready to talk." I tell him.

"Are you sure?" He asks hesitantly.

"As sure as I'm ever going to get." I shrug. I sit with my back to the arm of the couch and face Ashton, my legs tucked off to the side. "Where do I begin?"

"Who's Lyndon."Ashton asks.

"Remember that game we played when we first met at the dinner?" I ask him, he nods and I take a deep breath, "The last question we got to was 'What is your biggest fear?'" I continue, and pause. He nods again, "I never told you what it was."

"Because our parents, namely our mothers, came up and I had to go home."

"So, I want to answer it now." I tell him. "My biggest fear is seeing the boy that walked out of my life after promising they'd never leave. That they'd always be there. Lyndon and I were best friends. We grew up together. We did everything together." He rests his hand on mine, "One day it was the first day of sixth grade. He promised he'd meet me at the bus stop. He wasn't there. I went to his house that afternoon after school and saw the moving boxes. The moving van." I tell him. "He'd known for almost a year that he was leaving. They were only renting the house, but his parents had talked to mine about finally making the move permanent after years of renting. The owner had already found the next tenant for the house. He didn't tell me he was leaving. And he didn't even try to stay in touch afterwards. Eventually I got the hint and left him alone. That's also why I was so upset when Cassidy cut me out of her life. I'd already been tossed to the curb once."

"You and Lyndon were childhood best friends?"

"Before he lied to me for over a year and moved without even saying goodbye." I add. "I don't make friends very easily. I've never dated until you. It's hard for me to trust people. Lyndon and I were inseparable until he left and cut me loose. I didn't know he was back in town."

"Who lives in that house now?" He asks.

"No one." I tell him, "The owner sold the property to be torn down for the park."

"Cortland Park?" He asks.

"Turns out that his parents had discussed it with the owner and that's why they left." I tell him. "I was just shocked last night. I never expected to see him again. I'm sorry I ruined our date."

"It's okay. I'm glad you're okay."

"Thanks for being so understanding."

"What kind of boyfriend would I be if I wasn't." He grins and He pulls me over to him. I curl up next to him resting my head on his shoulder letting his arm wrap around my waist. "I love you Luciana. Nothing is going to change that."

"I love you too Ashton." I whisper back closing  my eyes.

"My biggest fear. Getting attached. Falling in love. And leaving you behind. My life was constantly moving around. Six months here. Six months there. I never stayed anywhere long enough to get attached. I could always tell when we'd be moving on quickly. I always tried to stay unattached. I knew as soon as I got attached we'd move. I thought as soon as I made a connection more than superficial, we'd be packing and moving somewhere new. Every time he promised it would be the last time. That we'd stay somewhere. This time. I didn't think it would be true. I thought this would be just like the last time." He begins telling his own story. His arm tightens around my waist. I place one hand on his shoulder and sit up my other hand on his back rubbing circles. "I thought. If I could make it just long enough to get through a whole semester I'd be okay. Then our mom's had to run into each other. As soon as I saw you that first time. The girl with her nose buried in a book. The one that didn't give me the time of day when we first met. I knew I couldn't leave. Falling in love and having to leave her behind would be my greatest fear. I can't leave you behind."

I turn him so we're both facing each other on the couch. I rest my forehead on his. "I'm not going anywhere. We've only got a few more months before schools out. We'll be okay. You're not getting away that easily." I press a gentle kiss to his lips before pulling back. "I love you to much to let you get away."

"I love you." He repeats. He kisses me softly pulling me closer to him. I wrap my arms around his neck as his wind around my waist. He pulls back and kisses my nose. "Thank you for telling me."

I pick up the book on the table and give him a questioning look. He nods and I curl up next to him as he props his legs on the table. I lean against him as his rests his arm on the couch behind me. He presses a kiss to the side of my head as we begin doing our favorite pass time.

"'Your attitude is like the aroma of your heart. If your attitude stinks, you're hearts not right.'"We read together from the book that brought us together. We're going to be okay.